History of Enhanced Individuals
Early History and Speculation Mesopotamia Archaeological studies at Apox confirm the presence of an artifact that is said to have created Enhanced Individuals. This stone, known by P.L.U.T.O. Scientists as the Catalyst, was confirmed to exist after it was discovered by Nazi Germany just before World War II. The Catalyst either created or was embodied (interpretations among PLUTO Scientists differ) by an individual referred to as Sarkann. New archaeological finds claim that Sarkann led a conquest on the first settlements of humanity, creating the first empire on the backs of slave labor. Sarkann disappeared from Apox mythology after 300 years. Ancient Egypt (Work in Progress) Ancient Greece The Ancient Greek pantheon is more than just mythology. Each of the twelve gods have been discovered to be separate beings across the Ancient Greek timeline, each wielding an artifact from another realm of existence known as Olympus (which became the namesake for Mount Olympus). While utilizing the artifacts, these humans become an Enhanced Individual classified as Olympians. Each Olympian passes their artifact along to another wielder, called Avatars. Each Avatar's abilities have been attributed to each of the twelve Greek gods (for example, PLUTO Agent Trevor Wilson is the current Avatar of Hermes). Scandinavia Much like the Greek Pantheon, the Norse Pantheon consisted of beings that once walked the Earth. These early Norse beings were practitioners of Rune Magic. While not much is known about Rune Magic, PLUTO scholars believe that the beings now known as Thor, Odin, and Loki abused their powers to lord over the serfs of the time. Talks with leading members of the Gatekeepers has revealed that the artifact known as Mjölnir, better known as Thor's hammer, truly exists but has been lost to the ages. The Grossman Experiments and World War II (1941-1945) Hitler's Artifact Hunt and the Apox Rediscovery Letzter Atemzug It's no secret that Nazi Germany sanctioned numerous unethical experiments that involved human test subjects. The mind behind many of these projects was Friedrich Grossman, an S.S. scientist operating out of the Letzter Atemzug camp, conducting experiments on allied soldiers during the second World War. Grossman had a sudden increase in intellectual prowess. While his experiments were horrific, he made great strides in the field of science. It was Grossman who discovered the Mutagen, the gene responsible for awakening powers in certain Enhanced Individuals. Grossman was eventually able to recreate the effects of a Rupture, a sudden release of Bennett Rays that activate the Mutagen. His first few subjects perished during these experiments, but his first success was that of US Army Sergeant James Howler. Containing Howler in a chamber and subjecting him to Bennett radiation caused Howler's Mutagen to activate, which gave him the ability to control powerful gusts of wind. Howler was able to use his new abilities to escape Letzter Atemzug, freeing the allied prisoners. Research Site 12-A The Third Reich shut down Letzter Atemzug after Howler's escape. Grossman, having escaped the chaos of the prison camp riot, was relocated to Research Site 12-A, a secretive laboratory established in the French Alps. Here, Grossman was charged to continue his work into the Mutagen. After delving into leftover samples from Howler's biological material, Grossman adjusted his experiments and conducted another test on a volunteer subject: Heinrich Mueller. Grossman's second trial was considered a success, however, he discovered the Mutagen had inconsistent effects: Mueller grew from 6 feet, 2 inches to 10 feet, 3 inches, his weight increased from 210 pounds to 1,281 pounds, and his muscle mass increased to beyond human levels. This rapid transformation caused grotesque physical scarring across Mueller's body. Regardless, Mueller became a force of nature against the allied soldiers, reportedly surviving artillery fire with little to no damage. Grossman continued work at Research Site 12-A, but after his success with Mueller, Grossman plunged his work into learning more about the Mutagen, and how to change its mutation properties. It was then that Grossman discovered that he himself had an active Mutagen, which increased his intelligence and brain processing power. Despite making leaps into Mutagen research, Grossman was reportedly killed by the S.S. after refusing to comply with Berlin's orders to continue making super soldiers like Mueller. Hurricane and Blitz Mueller became one of Germany's greatest weapons in the war, becoming a terrifying urban legend among allied camps. Blitz, as he was called, reportedly destroyed Sherman tanks single handedly, and ripped soldiers in two. Sergeant Howler, who had returned to active duty after escaping Letzter Atemzug, worked to hone his abilities in secret. Howler and Blitz eventually met in the battlefield, being the first confirmed report of an Enhanced Individual conflict. Accounts of the battle are mixed, but many attest that a tornado incapacitated the Blitz. At this time, Blitz was confirmed dead by allied medics. The Founding of P.L.U.T.O. (1964) The Hamburg Incident (Work in Progress) Formation of P.L.U.T.O. (Work in Progress) P.L.U.T.O. Operations under Director David Wayne (1964 - 1981) The P.L.U.T.O. Hierarchy (1964) After being appointed Director of P.L.U.T.O., Director Wayne established the P.L.U.T.O. hierarchy, and proposed the idea of an official council to check the power of Director and to establish leadership around the world. The P.L.U.T.O. Chair Board was then established, with members of the United Nations serving as the first Chairmen. From there the Chair Board developed a code of conduct for handling Enhanced Individual encounters, making the decision to keep these incidents out of the public eye. The First Operative: James Howler (1964) Considering his heroics in World War II and again in the Hamburg Incident, Sergeant James Howler was approached by Director Wayne to become the first Enhanced Individual on the P.L.U.T.O. payroll. Howler was initially hesitant, as he and his wife had just had their first child, but after some negotiation and financial assurances, Howler and his family moved to Paris. Howler was then given his iconic code-name: Hurricane. Implementation of the Meier Threat Assessment Scale (1972) In an effort to determine the threat level and appropriate response to Enhanced Individuals, P.L.U.T.O. Scientist Doctor Samuel Meier developed a ten point scale utilizing threat analysis from previous operations and potential future risks Enhanced Individuals may pose. Doctor Meier presented the scale to the P.L.U.T.O. Chair Board, who unanimously approved its implementation. From 1972 onwards, P.L.U.T.O. developed protocols for dispatching personnel from each of their facilities based on what sort of threats are posed. P.L.U.T.O. Operations under Director Charles McKinley (1982 - 1999) (Work in Progress) P.L.U.T.O. Operations under Director Arthur Haddix (2000 - Present) (Work in Progress)